BJP’s call for double engine not getting response in poll bound Bengal

Having lost the first electoral bout to weaken the Trinamool Congress and its leader Mamata Banerjee by engineering massive split, the BJP is now planning to implement its second plan to project the election as the war between Narendra Modi’s “development model” and Mamata Banerjee’s “destruction model”. The indication to it was dropped by Narendra Modi himself when just two days back decried her governance and accused Mamata of having no “mamata” (sympathy) for people.

Modi’s lieutenant Amit Shah was more focussed. He described her as a “failed administrator”. There is nothing unusual in these jibes and sneers. What has been really interesting to ponder is, what made the BJP’s Chanakya to make a shift in the strategy. He has started by pitting the non-Bengalis against the Bengalis; then making a concerted effort to seize the cultural legacy of Bengal and its culture by identifying the party with the legends of the state.

The leadership has also launched month long Parivartan Yatra from February 6, as part of which it intends to take out five rallies criss-crossing the state ahead of the assembly elections in West Bengal due in April-May. It is organising the rally to transform West Bengal. If Shah is to be believed, the yatra is intended to free the state from infiltration, unemployment, bomb blasts, and bring a change in the state of farmers. The country is already watching how the BJP has been treating the farmers who have been holding Satyagrah for 80 days in and around Delhi.

The biggest riposte has been the party which failed to just keep its promise of creating 2 crores jobs in one year after coming to power in 2014 was promising to build Sonar Bangla through its ParivartanYatra. Mamata was right in asking; “does that mean we will have to venerate BJP leaders who are trying to place themselves equal to or above gods like Lord Jagannath?” She alleged; “In the name of religion, the party is indulging in sacrilegious activities”.

Realising that the rebels are on their way to “gharwapasi” (returning home), the BJP leadership has resorted to the strategy of terrorising and indulging in violence. Their latest tactics to project Dilip Ghosh, who is known for his abusive and aggressive posture, as the chief ministerial candidate is part of this design. The BJP leadership which has been banking on the support of the TMC turncoats is in predicament as a significant number of these people have returned to the parent party. Not only the original TMC workers and leaders, even the leaders of Owaisi’s MIM are also joining the TMC.

The “principal organiser” of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) in Malda and about 200 supporters joined the Trinamul Congress on Tuesday, a day ahead of chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s visit to the district where Muslims constitute around 55 per cent of the population.

AS the return of the rebels has become an issue of public debate, the BJP leadership has been treading cautiously. The original BJP leaders had objected to this move of Shah in the beginning itself. But he overruled their objections. This has made many of them withdraw from active politics. These leaders point out that the huge presence of turncoats has projected the party as the B-team of TMC. Some also express that they have joined the party under some plan and may create problems just ahead of the elections. These leaders do not approve of Shah’s action and are skeptical of the behaviour and action of the turncoats. They also argue that the situation inside the TMC is not such bad that this nature of desertion should take place from TMC. They hold that BJP has fallen in trap.

Nevertheless the BJP has decided to stop the entry of the TMC leaders and workers in the party. The decision for “Selective" induction has been made in the backdrop of intensifying war of attrition between the old and new entrants. Sources maintain that at least 20 cadres have lost their lives in the factional wars. It is a known fact that many of the turncoats have been involved in criminal cases and were also being probed for corruption.

Amit Shah during his latest visit has focussed on the Rajbanshis and Matuas. Though during his earlier visits he had promised a lot to both the communities, as usual he failed to live upto his assurances. These people are feeling deceived and disenchanted particularly with the BJP’s Chanakya Amit Shah. Ever since he launched the “oust Mamata” campaign in Bengal, he has been harping on conferring citizenship right to them. This move was initiated at the suggestion of the BJP MP who belongs to the community. The fact is Matuas are already Indians. But an impression was being created that it ought to be endorsed by a certificate.

The citizenship issue has divided opinion among the Matuas and Rajbanshis ahead of Bengal polls. They are important vote bank and will influence electoral outcome in at least 52 constituencies. The issue has now acquired the dimension of the community’s “identity crisis”. The issue has acquired such a vicious design that even Amit Shah is finding it tough to handle and offer a solution. It has become the frankstine for the BJP.

His decision to form Narayani battalion reminiscing their valour, or setting up of training centre of these forces after Chila Roy or raise a cultural centre for Rajbanshis and building statue of Panchanan Burma do no reflect his political acumen. He is not innovative. He has hijacked most of ideas from Mamata. Last year, Mamata had announced creation of a Narayani battalion in the Bengal police.

If at all Shah was really serious to confer the citizenship right to Rajbanshis and Matuas he should have not taken refuse behind the facade of completion of the process of vaccination. If his government can enact three farm laws without waiting for appropriate time, he could have launched the CAA scheme without waiting for indefinite period. The fact is Shah has been confusing the Rajbanshis and Matuas by promising citizenship even though these immigrants from Bangladesh, most of whom possess documents like the voter card, Aadhaar card, ration card and land deeds in their names, were already Indian citizens. Leaders like Harashit Gonsai has already made it clear; “ we will not vote for the BJP if they cannot resolve the citizenship issue.” It is deplorable that Amit Shah has been creating a sense of doubt amongst these people.

Initially he had resorted to the scheming of dividing the people of the state on communal line; Bengali versus non-Bengali. But it does not work. Except some aspiring elements, by and large majority of the non-Bengali population did not respond to Shah’s divisive politics. They are well entrenched in the socio-cultural ethos of the state and are unwilling to be a party to divisive politics of Shah.

Having failed in his endeavour to entice the non-Bengalis, Shah has embarked on the path of winning over the Rajbanshis and Namashudras. This is really a challenge for him and would laid bare his political skill. He is the second in command, but it is also a fact that his political acumen has never been put on test. It is his expertise in scheming and planning that has won him laurels, For the first time his political skill is facing the acid test in Bengal.

It is interesting to note that Shah’s Yatra has failed to pull crowds in Birbhum. Barely 200 people turned up to catch a glimpse of the Yatra in Rampurhat. This underlined that BJP has failed to strike a chord with Bengal and the Rath simply underscored the muscle power that the BJP intends to portray before the final D-Day.

(IPA Service)
(Views are personal)